We all hit the wall at some point during the day, but now British scientists claim to have pinpointed precisely when.
According to surveys of when daytime workers get most tired, we reach our daily low for energy levels at precisely 2:16 in the afternoon. You have to admire British punctuality.
Nevertheless I’m a little skeptical of that. It seems a little, err, precise.
But there is a scientific way to determine when your energy levels are low, and when a cup of coffee or can of soda sure would hit the spot. That way is by measuring levels of cortisol in the body, a hormone related to stress and alertness.
And of course scientists have done just this.
They found that, for most people cortisol levels peak between 8 and 9 a.m., again between noon and 1 p.m. and then in the evening, between 5:30 and 6:30. That means, if you’re looking to maximize your coffee’s caffeine effectiveness, mid-morning or mid-afternoon is best because that’s when your cortisol tends to dip.
It’s kind of like the old driving position, think 10 and 2 for your coffee breaks.
Personally, my preferred pick-me up when cortisol dips is a nap. But those are hard to come by except on Sunday afternoons.
